The Best Crack Climbing Shoes?
Hi Steph:
You don’t know me, but I saw your blog on Crack climbing while looking for some good information on taping, shoes, etc. Thanks for all the good advice in there. However, I was curious about the Five Ten Moccasyms shoes. I have never been able to wear Five Ten (too narrow and low volume of a foot), but am looking for a good crack climbing shoe. What makes the Moccasyms superior for crack climbing (i.e. are they soft? Is there something else that is special about them?)?
P.S. I saw the photos of you soloing the Diamond from Brian Kimball. They were an inspiration!
Tina
Dear Tina,
Thanks! Yes, Brian is a great photographer, as well as an awesome friend. I thought he did an amazing job taking those photos, especially since he highly disapproves of me free soloing, as he’s told me many times 🙂
I have worn Five Ten shoes since I started climbing, and I have very narrow feet. Five Ten has a line of shoes made on a specific last (a foot-shaped mold) which is extra narrow–all the Anasazi shoes. So these shoes–Anasazi velcros, lace-ups, zlippers, slippers and moccasyms–are all very low volume. In fact, they recently started to make a special “men’s” velcro, since some people have wider feet. The women’s velcro LV (low volume) is the same Anasazi velcro I know and love, but with a few improvements such as the heel shape.
The amazing thing about the moccasym is that it does stretch and quickly fits to shape your foot, so even people with wide feet are able to wear it. The reason it is superior for crack climbing is that it is soft, has no laces or extra bulk, and has a technical enough shape to the toe to be able to use the occasional footholds you find around the cracks. It smears incredibly well also. Above all, the shoe is extremely comfortable, and allows you to get as much of your foot as possible into the crack. The only problem I have with the moccasym is that it is leather, unlike all the other Anasazis and most of Five Ten’s hiking shoes (yay Five Ten!!). I don’t buy leather shoes or any other animal-products for fashion or everyday use, but I do continue to use the moccasyms. However Five Ten has offered to make me a pair out of the synthetic material they use for the rest of the Anasazi shoes, and I think that’s a fantastic idea!
Next time you are at REI, take a few moments to try on the Anasazi women’s velcros (for sport climbing and granite), and a pair of moccasyms (for cracks, gym climbing and easy alpine rock). I think you will be really surprised at how well they fit narrow feet.
Have fun out there!
xxSteph
I was in love with Five Ten for my first couple years of climbing (mostly Red River Gorge sandstone) until my first trip to Joshua Tree where the sharp crystals carved them up and spit them out. I’ve since moved out West and changed to Sportiva rubber for durability (because of Veedavoo, WY).
Steph, did you wear Five Ten shoes with Five Ten rubber on your ascents of Salathe Wall and The Diamond?
Yes, of course! Five Ten rubber is actually stickier on slick granite than any other kind. Climbers have known that for years, but recently there were some scientific tests done, for those who like that kind of thing 🙂 I used Laceups and Velcros on the Salathe, and women’s Zlippers (which aren’t made anymore, but I still love) on the Diamond. It’s true that sharp, crystally rock will eat up the softer, higher friction rubber. I think that’s why Five Ten started using some of the new “onyx” rubber on some of their shoes. Sometimes I feel like Imelda Marcos, because it seems like shoes are so specialized….what’s the secret weapon for one thing often doesn’t work the best for another. I actually used 4 different pairs of shoes on the Salathe! And for Concepcion, I had a velcro LV on my left foot, and a moccasym on the right….shoes really do seem to matter.
🙂 Steph
Mismatch shoes! That’s specialization!
When the going gets tough, the tough get techy! 😉
Hey check this out: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8690617684426354949
That’s THE crack climbing shoe… I’ve been using it for a year… and they’re the shit!
If anyone knows crack shoes, it’s you PeeWee! Thanks for the link, I can’t wait to check these out too! xxS
My wife and I hoping to move to Utah next spring and we will bid on a Steph guiding day! To be fair though, we’re probably not your target market as we are somewhat broke as a joke (and happy).
Love the blog, keep writing.
Hey Steph –
Mad props!
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awesome 5.10 offered to make you a pair of synthetic mocs, but it would be even more awesome if they put a synthetic option on the market. The mocs fit my foot really well, but I’d rather not buy leather. I was having a similar problem looking for good alpine gloves… all of the BD ones use goat leather…
Yes Ana, Evolv is in the process of making a synthetic Addict for production: they will be available in a limited edition this fall! I’ll be posting all the info for pre-orders when I get it 🙂
Fiveten is coming out with a pair of vegan mocs fairly soon, they are going to be white! I have also been told that all of there shoes that used to be leather will soon be synthetic